Battery-maker Energy Power Systems plans to establish a high-volume manufacturing facility in Pontiac, Michigan. The new 150,000-square-foot facility will produce batteries for use in start/stop and micro-hybrid vehicles; utility-scale distributed energy storage; renewable energy integration; and fast-charging infrastructure for EVs.

Full-scale production is expected to begin in early 2016. Initial annual capacity will be 500 MWh, the equivalent of 500,000 start/stop vehicle batteries.

“The EPS team has successfully completed the product development phase and we are now launching the commercialization phase,” said CEO Subhash Dhar. “This major milestone is a testament to the proven performance attributes of our PLM technology, which offers a superior value proposition for our customers’ applications.”

The city of Pontiac welcomed the new facility, which will repurpose a former GM plant, and is expected to create at least 300 new high-tech and manufacturing jobs. “The use of the property is a perfect fit for the area,” said City Administrator Joseph M. Sobota.

Source: Energy Power Systems